Crew of Green Dragon look to Emerald Isle

(Guo Chuan - Green Dragon Racing)

They were made to work every mile of the 5,200 from Rio to Boston and hated being last of the seven in the Volvo round the world race to complete leg six, but the crew of the Chinese-backed Irish entry Green Dragon was yesterday looking on the bright side.

Apart from being welcomed into the most Irish of American cities, the crew also knows that the next leg across the Atlantic to Galway takes them to their home port and that the conditions should be more favourable.

But, with 44 points so far, the Dragons, skippered by Britain ’s double Olympic silver medallist Ian Walker, are in fifth place, nine points behind Sweden ’s Ericsson 3, and 33.5 behind the overall leader, Ericsson 4.

Having taken a three-point penalty for changing rudders, Telefonica Blue, in second place, is just half a point ahead the American locals, Puma, skippered by Kenny Read.

The inshore races on 9 May could reverse that in a battle which should continue all the way to Ireland .

Stuart Alexander talks to top chef Maurice Keller about his Irish food welcome for Green Dragon.